Storage racks for hanging garden tools or the like have been in existence for some time. However, to my knowledge, none of these storage racks have been capable of being manufactured cost effectively and at the same time function to efficiently store a large variety of differently configured items having long handles such as rakes, shovels, brooms, hoes, ball bats, and the like. Such racks like that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,721,348 have been constructed of a number of parts welded together making them costly both from the cost of the parts and the assembling of the same. Further, none of these types of racks has been effective in easily receiving and individually holding the items.
In accordance with my invention, I provide a storage rack which is a unique, simple rack, preferably one piece, that extends from the wall on which it is mounted and uses the depth out away from the wall to hold multiple items having an elongated part. In one embodiment, the rack preferably includes an upper leg formed by an upper rectangular barshaped section extending at an angle away from the vertical surface and an inclined lower leg formed by a lower rectangular bar section connected to the upper bar and extending at an inclined angle downwardly from the upper bar section toward the vertical support surface, thus supporting the upper bar which includes a series of uniquely shaped slots spaced along its length. Each slot of the upper bar is uniquely shaped to receive an elongated part of the item to be supported. Although the upper bar with its uniquely shaped slots can be constructed to adequately support the items, as described hereinafter, the lower inclined bar section includes a series of second slots spaced along its length and shaped to receive an elongated part of the item to be supported. The slots in the upper bar and the slots in the lower bar are positioned with respect to each other to receive the elongated part of the item to be supported in a desired relationship. The free ends of the two bars each includes means at their ends for attaching the entire bar to a vertical support surface for mounting the rack on a vertical support surface.
In this embodiment of my invention, the upper leg is substantially horizontal but slightly inclined toward the wall on which the rack is supported. The angle of this upper leg and the shape of the slots in the upper leg is such that the slots provide an inlet opening portion at one side of the bar leading into a retainer opening portion extending from the inlet opening toward the inclined angle of the rack. Preferably, such inclination is toward the wall on which the rack is mounted. Thus, when an elongated part is inserted into the inlet opening portion the entire item slides into the retainer opening portion by virtue of gravity and the inclination of the upper bar thus more securely holding the item in the slots. The unique shape of the retainer opening portion also helps to hold items more securely.
Another form of this embodiment of this invention is to locate the slots in the lower inclined bar at a position aligned with but offset slightly from the vertical of the slots in the upper bar. This offset of the slots helps to contain the stored items in the rack and helps hold the elongated portions of the items at a desired angle.
In a second embodiment of my invention, a single leg is formed by an L-shaped bar extending at an angle away from the vertical surface. The L-shaped bar is supported on the vertical surface by an integral flange with attachment elements securing the flange to the vertical surface. Within the broadest aspect of this invention, other means for supporting the leg to a vertical surface is contemplated. The strength of the single leg is reinforced by a second integral flange extending downward along one edge of the leg forming the L-shaped bar. The uniquely shaped slots for supporting elongated items are provided in spaced relationship along the other edge of the leg.
These and other features, advantages and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims and appended drawings.